Definition: And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of [great] stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from 2 Samuel 21:20. It's a really strange and unusual story! Here’s what it means in simple terms: The Basic Story: This verse describes a man named David who lived in Gath. He was exceptionally tall and had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot – a total of 42! He was born with this unusual physical characteristic. What's the Big Picture? The key point is that this man was considered to be very large and powerful, and he was involved in a conflict (a "battle"). Let’s unpack it further: "And there was yet a battle in Gath..." : This establishes the context – there was an argument or dispute happening in the town of Gath. "...where was a man of [great] stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant." : This is the core of the story. It describes this man's physical appearance – extremely long and with an unusual number of digits (fingers and toes). The phrase “born to the giant” emphasizes how significant and powerful he was. Why is this a significant story? This verse is often interpreted as a symbolic story, not necessarily about a literal man with six fingers. It's a way for God to: Show off His Power: The description of the man’s size and unusual features highlights God's power and majesty. Highlight David’s Significance: It suggests that even though David was a great king, he was still under God’s watchful eye and powerful in his own way. Illustrate Divine Creation: The story can be seen as an example of creation – God bringing something truly unique into the world. In short: The verse tells us about a man who was exceptionally large and had unusual physical characteristics, and it's presented as part of a larger narrative involving conflict and God’s presence in the world. --- Do you want to delve deeper into any aspect of this story? For example, would you like me to: Explain why this verse is often used symbolically? Discuss how it relates to David's character?